Despite local concerns, MBTA to move ahead with its South Acton train station plans

Monday

Feb 1, 2010 at 12:01 AMFeb 1, 2010 at 1:21 AM

The MBTA is moving ahead with plans to revamp the South Acton train station despite objections from some residents and commuters.

Robert Burgess

The MBTA is moving ahead with plans to revamp the South Acton train station despite objections from some residents and commuters.

With the design for the project 60 percent complete and working toward 90 percent by this summer, Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority representatives told more than 100 people who gathered in South Acton last weekend that the state will consider cosmetic changes to project, including lighting and colors, but that major revisions to the schematics would likely not happen.

Town officials and volunteers had proposed a number of options — including using elevators and street level access — they believed would replace the large ramping system the MBTA has proposed to accommodate a center platform that would come in between the existing track and an additional one.

But during a walk of South Acton and a question and answer session at the South Acton Congregational Church, MBTA representatives told the crowd, which included residents, commuters from neighboring towns and elected officials, that it would be too costly to change course now and that their design is the best they could create considering the monetary and regulatory restraints they are operating under.

“It’s not lost on us that so many people have come out on such a cold day to have a constructive conversation,” said Joseph Nolan of the MBTA. “The MBTA is here to answer your concerns.”

The two-and-a-half hour session began on the existing train platform on the afternoon of Jan. 30. Participants, including people of all ages along with a few children and dogs, heard introductory statements from Selectman Peter Berry, who leads the local train station advisory committee, and state Sen. Jamie Eldridge.

Muffled claps from gloved hands followed hopeful statements of working together with the MBTA. But as soon as the site walk began, the MBTA representatives started sharing why their designs were chosen — and why it was unlikely major changes would be made.

The large group made its way down the platform, where a 600-foot covered ramp would be installed to move residents from the parking lot platform to the center platform. The MBTA hopes that by creating two tracks through South Acton, commuter trains would be able to avoid gridlock that sometimes delays trips along the line from Fitchburg to Boston.

“Each station has its uniqueness and that’s a particular point in South Acton,” said Eldridge. “One of the visceral reactions people had was to the platform.”

Many residents balked at the idea of a large ramp system so close to the historic South Acton district. They wondered why elevators couldn’t instead meet the needs of the physically handicapped.

MBTA officials said that while elevators were not off the table, the ramp system would stay in the plans. They argued that elevators can be costly to maintain and unreliable at best.

Still other residents pleaded for ground level access for trains stopping by — something like what exists at the nearby West Concord train station — especially to make it easy for residents who live to the south of the station to catch trains. But the MBTA officials said the state has a policy of avoiding ground level access because they said they are unsafe.

“The MBTA’s view is that there is no safe grade crossing,” said Nolan. “That’s where people get killed.”

For his part, Berry wanted the MBTA to better understand the historic nature of South Acton. The site tour included stops at the historic Jones Tavern and Exchange Hall. The selectman highlighted Acton’s investment in economic development, pointing to the installation of sewers in the area to promote business.

In addition to users of the train, Berry noted that the Assabet River Rail Trail would lead right to the train station, which he said would hopefully promote shopping in the area and encourage more eco-friendly transportation.

The MBTA officials said they are working to create a design that best fits with the character of the community.

“This is a modular design,” said Glenn Berger, owner of Exchange Hall. “There should be consideration for a historic design.”

Nolan said they hoped to avoid more modular designs that other stations have. And they hoped that the street lights, walkways and paint colors could compliment the area.

But to construct a train station building or other structure that reflected some of the Victorian architecture of South Acton would cost millions more than is available to the MBTA for the project, slated to be complete by 2013, Nolan said.

Although the MTBA officials and legislators made it clear the South Acton project was part of a bigger plan to improve the Fitchburg Rail Line, at least one resident questioned if all the work was worth it.

“My feeling is if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” said John Horne, adding that saving 10 minutes on his ride to Boston for work wouldn’t be that beneficial. “For all the changes to the character of our town — it’s just not worth it.”